Compromise
by Nittles
Summary: When the lives within Section D are threatened by the Russians will Harry compromise or stay put? Lucas/Ros and Harry/Ruth post chapter 11.
1. Chapter One

**Spooks is owned by BBC/Kudos**

"You can have Lucas back on one condition. You kill Adam Carter," Kachimov paused briefly, trying to read a little more into Harry's expression. It was no use; he had his poker face on.

Harry would have laughed at such an absurd suggestion had it not been for the seriousness of the situation unravelling before him.

"You're getting your agent back who we have so kindly been looking after for you, asking me to sacrifice my officers as a form of compromise is out of the question."

Kachimov smiled slightly pursing his lips as he tried to figure out his next move. He knew his requests were unfair and, more to the point, unrealistic, but he was going to overthrow section D once and for all, Adam was just the start of their downfall plan.

"Adam Carter will be killed with or without your co-operation Harry, it will be done. If you want at least one agent alive in your department I suggest you keep me on side. Lucas remains ours until we reach an agreement."

Sneering slighly, Kachimov forced a smile and left without saying another word. There was something about this that didn't seem quite right. This wasn't an ordinary exchange, and this needed to be dealt with carefully. He knew he should tell Adam straight away, this was an operation that needed serious planning. No, this stayed need to know until he had solid foundations.

He needed to find a way to fool Kachimov, fake Adam's death convincingly and ensure Lucas got home safely. It was possible, and there was only one officer for the job.

Rummaging around in his pocket to find the desired gadget, he typed in Connie's number and held the phone impatiently to his ear. Luckily for her, she answered on the second ring.

"Connie, it's me... No I'm fine. I need you to do something for me; no question asked is that clear?"

After hearing Connie promise him secrecy he allowed himself a few moments to make sure this was the right thing to do. Eventually he spoke.

"I think it's time to bring Rangefinder home."


	2. Chapter Two

**Note: If you haven't watched 7.1 & 7.2 then it is probably a good idea that you do a) because this chapter and all following chapters will have major references and b) because events in this episodes are not explained in detail in the fic because it has been taken as a given you'll know these references. Some have been altered slightly to suit the needs of the plot. Enjoy!**

Harry watched as the car opposite ground to a halt and opened its doors. He nodded at Ben to follow suit and soon both parties were stood opposite each other. Rangefinder had finished her Moscow operation and was on her way home with secret intelligence, one of his officers was about to be released after eight years in a Russian jail and Adam was still living to fight another day. Harry couldn't help but feel he was on the winning team at that moment in time.

"Harry," Kachimov smiled as he watched Ben guide Lucas into the back of the car. "This is just the first step in our agreement."

"I hope you know what you're doing," Harry replied slyly, smirking slightly as he watched Kachimov raise his eyebrows in confusion.

"You take good care of Lucas yes?"

Before Harry could utter another word, Kachimov had turned on his heel and left him once again.

The car journey home was something of an awkward affair. Harry couldn't help but feel uneasy about Kachimov's parting words. _I should take care of him yes, but any care is better than what he received out there, _he mused, suddenly a little tense and suddenly quite desperate to end the silence.

"How did they treat you?"

The voice startled Lucas and he turned his head slowly to locate the source of the noise.

"Sometimes well...Sometimes not," he replied simply, turning his head so he was once again staring out of the window.

"They told me I could come home if I spied for them." He said suddenly, eyes still burning into the passing scenery.

This certainly got Harry's attention.

"What did you say?"

Lucas diverted his gaze from outside and stared intently at Harry for a moment while pondering his answer.

"I said yes," Lucas replied, grinning slightly as the occupants of the car finally began to relax.

Harry smiled back and focused on the road ahead. There was something about this exchange that didn't feel right. It was up to him to figure out what it was.

* * *

_**Heathrow Airport**_

Ros emerged from the entrance and thrust open the door of the nearest cab she could find, slamming it firmly closed behind her.

"Can you drive into London, and select the most difficult route you can think of? Blind turnings, one-way streets, do that until I say stop." She ordered as she started to pull a laptop out of a carrier bag. "Or until the money runs out," she added, handing the driver a wad of twenty pound notes.

"Your money love," the cab driver replied, placing the notes carefully in his breast pocket and pulling away to fulfil his next run.

"Actually it's the tax payers." Ros smirked, settling the laptop on her lap before finding her mobile device.

Connie answered on the third ring.

"Welcome home rangefinder, keep it brief."

"I thought I'd shaken them in Moscow, but I've picked up another tail at Heathrow. They're awfully tenacious, bless them." It felt good to be back. It felt even better to go back to the wonderful job of cat and mouse. She loved these games.

"The Russians are being cooperative with the live operation," Connie told her. She felt it was her duty to inform Ros of the current situation.

"What do they want?" Ros had never been told the true reason of her return, or the reasons behind Connie's plea for her to return home without finishing the Moscow Operation. Suffice to say, Ros had managed to complete the operation and return home in the time that Harry had allocated_. It's a job women can multitask. _

"I would say who knows," Connie started, "But I know Harry's keeping something from me. All I can tell you is that we need to keep them on side temporarily. For the moment that means keeping you deniable."

"Put me through to Harry Connie. I need to talk to him; I need to find out why it was so urgent to get me home if I can't even make it back into work." Now Ros was slightly concerned.

"It's strictly need to know rangefinder; you need to stay out of the way."

"You mean away from Thames House?" Ros suggested sarcastically.

"Precisely,"

"Charming,"

"Harry will contact you on this device in fifteen minutes. Send us what you what you have on tranquillity."

The phone went dead. Fifteen minutes until she found out what was going on. Fifteen minutes until she found out news that would change her life forever.

**Please review! More to come soon!**


	3. Chapter Three

"Adam, we need to speak. My office now," Harry's no-nonsense tone was enough to make the hair on Adam's neck stand to attention. Whatever it was Harry wanted it was important, it was serious, and it was probably very dangerous.

"Close the door behind you," Harry instructed as Adam crossed the threshold. Adam did as he would bid and sat down on the sofa as Harry set about closing the blinds. Taking a seat at his desk, he spun in his chair and turned to address Adam directly. "We have a situation."

"How bad?"

"Very."

"I'm listening."

"It's Kachimov. As you know he authorised the agent exchange so that we could get Lucas back."

"Yeah, pretty nice of him to do that for us you know."

"So it would seem. However, there's a catch. The exchange was just a minor factor in a bigger negotiation."

"I'm not sure I follow you."

"I could have Lucas back on one condition. That I agree to have you killed."

"And what did you say to that?"

"I said yes of course. It was either me or the Russians, and I think that you have a better chance of survival if I'm the person to organise your death don't you?"

"So how on Earth are you going to convince the Russian Service that I've been murdered?"

"We fake your death. How, don't ask me just yet. I've got another agent on it as we speak. All I ask is that still stays between me and you. Nobody else can know about this. If they do the plan is blown and we're all in for it. Is that understood?"

"It's understood," Adam sighed, rising up from the sofa and shaking Harry's hand briefly in acknowledgement.

"Harry?"

"Hmm?"

"What do I do now?"

"You act as if I've said nothing meaningful to you. You know nothing more when you leave this office then when you entered it."

"Right." Adam nodded his head as he absorbed the information and left Harry's office abruptly, wondering just how complicated this operation was going to get.

* * *

The first agent knew of the gruelling task ahead. Now it was time to inform the other. Connie was not allowed to know the significance of any upcoming operations involving the Russians so Harry had to take it upon himself to contact Rangefinder himself.

"Harry," Ros stated, a little surprised to be hearing from Harry directly so soon.

"Ros, I need you to listen to me. We just got a man back from Russia, Lucas North, you might have heard of him from time to time. Kachimov struck a deal with us so we'd exchange agents."

"Right,"

"I've had to convince the Russians we'll sacrifice Adam as a result,"

The hitch in Ros' breathing was enough to convince Harry that this operation was going to become personal, and he felt to take it upon himself to make sure emotions were not brought into the equation.

"I don't know what bond you two shared, but it is vital that if I involve you in this operation you do what you can to make it convincing."

"I'll do it Harry, fill me in."

* * *

The wind was bitter against Harry's skin as he stood on the embankment talking matter of interests. It was late, and he had better things to do than pass the time sharing information with the Russians. At least it wasn't talk about Adam. For now.

"Our Islamic terrorists are talking to your Islamic terrorists."

"About what?"

"Who knows, main British contact is this man," Kachimov pulled out a black and white photo and handed it to Harry, who wrinkled his brow slightly as he took in the information before him. Kachimov sensed his confusion and decided to pull the strings a little.

"You know him?"

Harry looked up at this point, pondering a smart reply.

"We have several thousand person's of interest on our files, but I thank you for the alert."

As he left Kachimov standing alone, Harry couldn't help but think this was the start of a bigger plan, something more complex. For tonight, Adam was safe, and that was all that mattered.

* * *

Connie burst into Harry's office, ready to pour out all of the information she had just received from Ros' encrypted files. As Harry gave her his full attention and she started to recite what she and Malcolm had just uncovered Harry's face turned pale, and realisation dawned on his features as he recalled his conversation with Kachimov.

Harry slammed desk angrily.

"Kachimov," he hissed angrily.

"He was playing me. He wasn't offering me intelligence. He was watching me, to see how I'd react. To see how much I knew. He knew about this attack and he did nothing to stop it."

Connie knew a dismissal when she heard one and made a hasty retreat from his office. He waited until the door was firmly shut into place before picking up his phone and dialling a familiar number.

"Harry?" Adam answered, as he signalled for Lucas to get in the car.

"Tranquillity. Put our plan on hold. This operation comes first. I'll deal with Kachimov later."

"Send through the details and we'll get onto it."

After filling Adam in and putting the phone down, Harry abruptly left his office, eyes sweeping the grid in sight of Connie. Finding her, he moved swiftly and lowered his head to her ear as he spoke in nothing more than a hushed whisper.

"Call Ros, I want her down on site with Adam and Lucas. Tranquillity must be stopped."

**Please review! More soon!**


	4. Chapter Four

**Dedication: Katie (Katiealice49) for providing the first Ros scene for this chapter.**

Adam pulled up quickly and jumped out of the car.

"That's her, that's tranquillity," Adam informed Lucas, pointing at a woman moving towards the memorial service. "You take her down I'll check out the car."

* * *

Harry had spent the last ten minutes pacing up and down in his office, arms folded tightly across his chest. It wasn't like him to get nervous over operations; he was usually the calm and collected one who had to convince the rest of his team that they were doing the right thing. But this wasn't any ordinary operation.

Kachimov had given him back one of his most trusted agents in return for sacrificing another. Now it turns out Kachimov is behind a terrorist attack that is about to strike London, intending not only to kill many thousands of civilians, but also half of his team as well. Then there was Lucas. Lucas, who had spent the last eight years in a Russian cell, who shouldn't be out on the field and who most certainly shouldn't be trusted. He needed a thorough debrief before he could even start working for him again.

It was an operation within an operation. Something completely complex that even he in his mature state couldn't quite comprehend.

* * *

"Is it Adam? Connie is it Adam?"

"Yes."

She really didn't know what she was going to do. She could hardly kill the guy following her, tempting as it sounded. Though it wouldn't make a sou... No, not in broad daylight in the middle of London. It just wouldn't do; she wasn't in Russia anymore.

So she settled for her second option.

A swift kick, another kick, a knee to the chest, a twist of the leg, a stamp, and then she sat on top of him with a pen held in the direction of the man's eye.

"Car keys."

Adam was at the site. Adam. She knew he would have had a lot of dangerous operations when she'd been away, but this was different. She was home now; she was working with him again, even if he didn't know it yet. For anything to happen to him now was just... she didn't even want to think about it.

All Ros had to do was get to the site, find Tranquillity, find Adam, and everything would be alright. Well, she hoped so anyway. What if Adam didn't want her back? He could've moved on, got a new girlfriend, she hadn't even been his proper girlfriend anyhow.

_No, clear your head, Ros. Operation Tranquillity. One step at a time._

So she headed towards St Augustus War Memorial, eyes cast forward, hands gripping the steering wheel, knuckles turning a shade of white.

"_In Flanders fields, the poppies blow, between the crosses, row on row."_

* * *

Adam searched the car thoroughly. What he was looking for exactly he didn't know. Any clue was a good clue. He peered through the window for something unusual, nothing. He looked under the car for any peculiar attachments, nothing. He fiddled with the boot lock until it flipped up and revealed the contents to him. _Oh shit._

"Harry, it's the car. It's just one colossal bomb." Harry couldn't help but notice that Adam sounded rather panicked, but glancing at his watch he realised the panic was necessary and he probably didn't calm Adam down any more.

"Can you disarm it? It's two minutes to eleven,"

"It's a digital detonator."

Harry fell silent for a few moments, thoughts rushing through his head as he tried to think of the smartest thing to say or do at such little notice.

"Good," he said simply, relaxing back into his chair when he'd finally figured out his plan.

"Harry, what do you mean good? There's a bloody bomb in the boot of this car!"

"This is the perfect moment Adam. Kachimov knew about this attack. You know as well as I do that this is too good of a chance to fool him. It'll be prime time news. Find a nobody, get them in the car and get it somewhere safe quickly. Good luck."

Harry hung up and rose from his chair promptly. This could go incredibly well or incredibly wrong. He feared for the latter. Walking across the grid he called across to Malcolm to get him Lucas on the phone. Tranquillity needed to be stopped. For all he knew she could be strapped to several detonators. She was Adam's hope of survival.

* * *

Ros wasn't quite sure where she was heading, or who exactly she was looking for but she could spot suspicious behaviour a mile off. She had already been informed Adam and Lucas were already on the scene so it was some relief she wasn't totally left to her own devices. She quickened her pace and began to follow the few people making their way towards the memorial site. Experience told her the suspect wouldn't stand in the centre of the service for fear of being so obviously caught and would probably turn up at the last moment to avoid being identified by anybody who should happen to survive. As she headed up a side road to get through the main gates something caught her eye. Something familiar. She couldn't quite believe her eyes and even had to blink twice in order to believe it.

"Adam," She'd called his name out loud without even realising it. Adam didn't even know Ros was back working for MI5 let alone back in the country, but she needed to talk to him, to have some form of conversation with him before she headed into the unknown.

"Ros," Adam smiled. He sounded incredibly surprised, but in a good way. There was always an inner fear he would be furious at her return, not because she was back to put herself in danger, but because she had never told him that she was back and that she was working as their undercover agent in Russia. He seemed genuinely pleased to see her, and that made her feel happier and more confident than she had in a long time.

They stood staring at each other for a few moments, neither of them daring to break the spell. Adam suddenly remembered the bomb in the back of the boot and shook himself back into professional mode.

"Tranquillity's that way," he pointed out to her, before getting into the car and speeding off.

There was no going back now.

**Please review! More to come soon! The main plot really gets going in the next few chapters!**


	5. Chapter Five

**A/N: A few events have been shifted in order in this chapter. Although in different places, the effect of episode 7.1 isn't lost but I thought I should mention it to save any confusion that might arise. Enjoy!**

As Adam sped off, he barked instructions through his ear piece attached to Malcolm's computer.

"Malcolm, I need to get this thing away from any population centre. I need a location."

"Adam, there's an open square a mile South-East. I'm sending directions."

Adam tore his eyes away from the road briefly to locate the open square. He had to keep his foot on the pedal and he had to keep his mind on the prize.

"You've got less than a minute if Lucas doesn't get that code."

Adam recognised the patch of open space and uttered a brief yes before taking his foot completely off the break and speeding down the road towards his target. Either way he was a dead man walking.

"That's less than thirty seconds Adam, less than thirty seconds." This time it was Harry's voice sounding through the earpiece. He sounded calm, but there was an edge to it which only Adam recognised. Fear.

Adam didn't reply. He braced the steering wheel tightly as he manoeuvred his way around a corner, desperate not too lose too much speed and waste any more time.

Harry watched Adam's tracker fly across the screen. Counting down the seconds until 11a.m. and counting down the time it would take Adam to reach the patch Harry was beginning to feel uneasy. Yes, this was the perfect opportunity to fake Adam's death, but part of him was concerned that the tragedy would end up being a reality if nobody talked sense and reason into the man in the car.

"Adam, you're not going to make it. Ditch the car." It was a direct order.

"If I do that then people will die." Adam no longer cared about Kachimov's game. He cared about protecting his country.

"Ditch the car!" As Harry's tone became more stressed and sterner, Adam became more determined to win this war of words and was rather surprised to hear a usually quiet Malcolm voice his opinion.

"He'll make it, it's not far." Malcolm stared intently at the screen in front of him, watching Adam's tracker moving steadily towards its target.

Adam watched the patch of green edge closer and closer to his current position and soon thoughts of escaping the mess and getting away without being seen were flooding his mind.

"Adam you're almost there."

He put his foot down on the accelerator as he turned the last corner and headed straight towards his target. He'd made it. He'd bloody well made it.

"He's there," Malcolm smiled at the computer. Harry sighed and kept on watching the screen. He knew Malcolm was probably right and he knew that the car was going to blow up anyway but he had an uneasy feeling in his gut that Adam may end up caught in the carnage if he didn't move quickly.

The car span on the grass for a moment, the momentum of the car not allowing it to stop abruptly. As the car finally came to a halt Adam pushed the door open forcefully before jumping out.

* * *

Back on the grid Harry watched the explosion on the screen and almost stopped breathing. He folded his arms high on his chest before lowering his head and walking slowly back towards his office without any sense of purpose. He had no idea whether Adam had made it, either way it was a close call. He sat down heavily in his chair and rubbed his hands over his head. This could have gone terribly wrong. He watched the phone. If Adam was alive, it would ring soon enough.

* * *

Lucas approached Ros carefully and watched her for a moment before giving her the news.

"Adam Carter is dead."

The words were delivered softly but were not heartfelt. Lucas didn't know Adam and he definitely didn't know what Ros and Adam had briefly shared. Nobody knew that. Although Ros knew the plan she couldn't help but feel the pain at the possibility there was truth in those words. There was only one way to find out.

* * *

Kachimov tried his hardest not to smile as the news of Adam's death floated down the telephone line. Although not a direct sacrifice, Kachimov was still satisfied the death would rattle a few cages within MI5 and would set him up nicely for his next attack.

"No. No, in some ways this is a preferable outcome," he told his caller confidently. "And they will be unbalanced by shock."

As conversation moved forward towards their next plan of action, Kachimov had a feeling he could use Harry's instability to his advantage.

"Well, I think maybe we should pull things forward a little." He paused. "Is it en route?"

Kachimov smirked slightly as he relaxed into his chair.

"Good."

* * *

Ros knocked tentatively on Harry's door before he looked up and acknowledged her presence. She looked close to tears.

"You ok?" he asked softly, a brief sympathetic smile accompanying the question.

"No." She replied, her voice broken, her soul possibly shattered. He looked towards her as she entered his office and closed the door carefully behind her.

"The team are gathered outside," she told him. They didn't know about the black op she and Harry were running.

"I know," he replied deadpan staring intently in front of him, his hands clamped tightly together.

He rose quickly from his chair before walking towards her, stopping just centimetres from where she stood.

"Wes is playing rugby today expecting his dad to be there."

The look on his face was clear and although the grief etched into his features was genuine, the spook in her couldn't help but feel he was keeping something from her. Her suspicions were confirmed when the corners of his mouth started to twitch and he leant into her slightly before whispering.

"You're a good spook Ros, convincing the rest of the team that Adam was actually killed in that blast shouldn't be too difficult."

She stared at him as she absorbed his words and tried her hardest not to smile as he winked at her and pulled the office door aside, beckoning her to leave.


	6. Chapter Six

**A/N: Apologies for the delay, real life is taking it's toll at the moment - exams and all that jazz! A little update - It's little because the next chapter is a real biggy! Enjoy.**

"I want to take the Russian operation in Britain, shoot it through the heart and watch it bleed to death." He paused. "Am I allowed that indulgence?"

Ros looked at him, disbelief and concern etched across her features. This was the man that kept everybody together during operations, who kept everybody going when things went wrong, and this was the man who had just told her he wanted to shoot down a whole operation for revenge rather than the sake of the country. Maybe he was losing it a little.

"Adam isn't dead Harry," Ros started. "We still don't know Kachimov's motives."

Harry chose to ignore Ros, after all, he was the one who had the authority to put plan into practise. He wanted her to be prepared for all out war.

"I'm going to ask Dolby for authorisation to target Kachimov directly." Satisfied that he had his plan of action set out, he relaxed and allowed himself to take a healthy swig of whatever drink Ros had bought for him at the bar.

"Go to bed Harry," Ros told him gently. "We're not doing each other any good."

With that, she downed the rest of her drink, gave him one final look before rising out of her seat and making her way back up to her room. Harry was left, once again, with nothing but a glass of alcohol and his troubled mind to see him through the night.

* * *

The team gathered around the meeting room table and waited patiently for Harry to begin. He'd just arrived back from a meeting with Dolby and Ros was sure from the look on his face that it wasn't good news.

"I've not been authorised to target the Russian operation in London," he addressed the group dryly before taking his seat at the head of the table.

"So what do we do?" Jo asked curiously.

"We target the Russian operation in London," Harry replied as he picked up his remote and pointed it at the screen in front of him. "Led by this man. Arkady Kachimov. I've been told we can't target him directly, but we have to find out what his game is. He's a real and present danger to the British people... And let's not forget, this is the man responsible for the death of Adam Carter."

Harry shot Ros a knowing look as she looked passively at the screen in front of her, staring, with increasing hatred, at the man attempting to sabotage everything she and this team had given so much to fight for.

The meeting room elapsed into silence for a few moments until the familiar sound of Jo's voice began to fill the space once more.

"Adam once said to me that revenge is an expression of pain, and pain is weakness. We never show weakness."

Harry watched Jo as she confidently addressed the group. He felt very much like a father to her and the pride that he felt as he watched her openly try and express her opposed view to their plans was indescribable. Adam too would be incredibly proud to witness this moment. As usual, Ros brought Jo back down to startling reality.

"Well Adam's dead Jo," she announced smoothly, her mouth thinning as she addressed the younger spook. Turning her attention's back to the man at the head of the table she decided to cut to the chase.

"Exactly how well do we know Kachimov?"

"A file three inches thick," Harry explained, over enthusiastically smacking his hand down on top of it for emphasis. It tells us where he's been, what he's done, with whom, but I want the smell of him. His breath, his sweat." He pauses. "To that end, I'll be contacting Lucas North to brief me later today."

Ros decided it was her turn for a rambling speech.

"In order to build a file on Kachimov we need to select a real player in London, no one with diplomatic status, we don't want them to have any reason to play the victim..."

"... And then let's leverage that asset until the pips squeak. Find me a way to stop Arkady Kachimov."

Harry watched as some of the team made to get up and leave. He took a deep breath and acted quickly. He needed a strong leader at a time like this.

"One more thing," he addressed the group, stopping those who were already making to move. "As of today, Ros assumes the position of section chief." With that, Harry gave the team one last look before rising from his chair and leaving the meeting.


	7. Chapter Seven

"Harry Pearce has called me onto the grid; he wants to talk about you."

The voice was familiar, and as Kachimov sat somewhat intrigued at his desk, the unwelcome sensation of anticipation overwhelmed him.

"Pleased as I am to hear from you, Lucas, you are not meant to make direct contact with me. That's what handlers are for."

Lucas sighed as he moved slowly towards Thames house.

"Well, I've yet to meet my handler, and this is a one-use phone."

Sceptical, yet pleased of his loyalty, Kachimov relaxed into his chair.

"What will you tell him?" His interest had definitely been perked.

"That you're a pussycat." A smart response.

Kachimov laughed slyly.

"You need to watch your back," Lucas smirked. "Harry's developed a particular animus for you."

"He's jealous," Kachimov retorted confidently as he waved off Lucas' concern. "He worried for your loyalty. He has to, he's a spy." A pause. "But still, this need to worry, it wounds him. He wants to trust you. He yearns to trust you, and therefore, in his heart, he has decided to trust you, whether he's aware of that fact or not."

A pause, a smile as Lucas' finally understands Kachimov's implications.

"You've got to feel sorry for the poor bastard. No compassion."

Kachimov chuckled.

"I promise I will try."

* * *

"Lucas, if you would."

Malcolm raised his eyebrows sympathetically as he watched Lucas' gaze follow Harry's retreating figure towards the direction of the meeting room. Lucas gave a brief nod before following after him. He stood in the doorway for a few moments. A room he was accustomed to, but he couldn't help but notice the chill running up his spine at the realisation that he felt like a stranger in a place he once regarded as his home. It unnerved him. He watched Harry and Ros take their places at the table, their faces so serious, their dress code so formal, their intentions so clear. It wasn't until Ros waved her hand as a signal for him to take his seat that he realised he had been aimlessly gawping at the blond haired woman, and smiling nervously, he hesitantly obliged and took his seat. The atmosphere was tense, and after a few moments of silence, Lucas eventually cleared his throat and begun the briefing.

"If you want to get inside the head of Arkady Kachimov, the first thing you need to know is that he's patient." Lucas spoke calmly, directing his speech towards the table top. It gave him focus, a way of revealing information without the chance of giving either Harry or Ros a chance to scrutinise or nitpick. "He spent years interrogating me. He was always very...gentle, very playful. No aggression, no impatience."

"So he's a chess player?" It seemed very uncharacteristic of such a powerful man. Uncharacteristic, but believable.

"Yeah." Lucas lifted his gaze to study the two figures accompanying him at the table and nodded in agreement. _Gullible as well as old_, he thought.

His gaze was drawn to Ros, and for a few moments he almost forgot his purpose within the meeting, infact he almost forgot why he was there at all. It wasn't until, for the second time that morning, she gave him a funny look, that he finally broke the spell and continued regurgitating insignificant information.

"It was three years before he even began to seed hints about turning me, sending me home."

"And how did he approach that?" This time it was Ros asking the questions. "Did he play on sexual anxiety? The fear your ex might..."

"No." The interruption was well timed, and behind the defiant response was something much deeper, dejection almost. "No, he never took that route." A pause, a brief moment to gather up his thoughts and finally turn the conversation on its head. "He used my relationship with you, Harry."

Harry looked up, bemused by the words that Lucas had just uttered. He tilted his head to one side before taking a brief, but proud glance at Ros.

"In what way?"

"Well," Lucas began. "He implied that you personally didn't seem to be in much hurry to get me back."

Harry understood.

"So however obliquely, he used personal revenge as a motive?"

"Yes." _I see there was no attempt to try and justify my statement._

Harry _thought_ he understood.

Harry shuffled awkwardly in his chair, leaning forward as he did so and clasping his hands together and resting them on the table. He needed to establish one last thing.

"And what were your personal feelings towards him."

_The million dollar question._

Lucas leant back casually in his chair and sighed deeply.

"What do you want me to say? I spent eight years getting to know the man, he was good company." His tone turned sombre. "He was my only company. So..."

"Your only company," Ros interrupted. "You had no other visitors? No FSB interrogators?"

"Plenty," came the confident reply. "Especially in the first few months, but I wouldn't describe them as company."

Harry allowed silence to engulf the meeting room as he pondered on his next move. The decision whether to discuss the debriefing process with Lucas or to simply let him go and become re-accustomed to his surroundings was clearly a difficult choice, but as he dared a glance in the direction of his section chief, her look of complete and utter boredom seemed to give Harry the impression that the decision had already been made. He directed his gaze back to the source of the information.

"Thank you, Lucas, you're free to go." A quiet dismissal, but the way in which the words were spoken caused Lucas to sit shock still in his chair for a moment, a look of bewilderment and disbelief evident on his tired features. He rose from his chair hesitantly, taking once last look at the figures in the room before making his way to the door and yanking it open forcefully. He stood still for a moment, a last attempt to contemplate his next move before either Harry or Ros left to continue their daily strenuous activities.

"Ros, can I just have a word with Harry please?" The words were out of his mouth before he had even had a moment to think about it.

Harry closed his eyes briefly as he rubbed his face with his hand. He knew what was coming next.

"Naturally," Ros replied, as she rose to her seat before taking once last look at Harry and Lucas and leaving the two men alone.

Harry started without turning around, nor giving Lucas the chance to re enter the room.

"I know what you're going to say, and I'd like to say..."

"I want to come back."

"No."

Lucas was defiant.

"I'm ready.

"You are NOT," Harry snapped, as he softly connected his hands with the table to try and bring across his point. . "The debriefing process alone will take several weeks. Then there's the question of your mental and physical health."

"And then of course there's the question of my loyalty," Lucas snapped back, as he finally moved from his stationary position and began to pace the ground behind where Harry was sitting.

"In my mind there's no question, but that's my mistake Lucas. It will be wrong of me to trust you, because of where you've been, who you've been with, and threat that Russia currently poses towards this country." Harry finally rose from his seat and turned to face Lucas. "Don't take this personally." A change in tone, in stance, in conversation. "You're home, take the time. Enjoy it."

Lucas breathed a laugh.

"Home isn't where you live; it's where people understand you." The mood turned cold. "If I don't have trust from MI5, from you... Then I'll never really be home. I'll just be back in England."

He shot Harry one last cold look before dismissing himself. He'd just have to do it the hard way.


	8. Chapter Eight

**A/N: Just one more chapter of filling the gaps to go, then my completely AU, 'what the hell are you thinking' plot comes to life!**

Lucas walked cautiously towards the door. The knock had taken him by surprise, and he quickly regained his composure before swinging it back and revealing the imposter.

"Hello, mate. Got a package for Lucas North?" The young man clarified the details on his clipboard before handing Lucas the package.

Lucas took it hesitantly before cutting it open. Satisfied he knew the sender; Lucas reached over to sign for it, before shutting the door behind him.

The walk to Highgate Cemetery didn't take him too long, and he was grateful for the chance to get out into the crisp open air. He eventually reached the meeting bench and slowed down slightly, investigating his surroundings with mild curiosity as he tried to locate his visitor. He glanced at his watch before folding his arms tight against his chest.

Kachimov appeared engrossed in his book. Appeared, because, after all, he too was expecting to meet somebody. She approached him quietly but with intent. He spoke before she reached him.

"You know, in all these years of knowing him, I never understood why the fascination for William Blake hm?" He gestured to the open book in his hand.

She stood in front of him, but kept her vision on surrounding buildings.

"Blake was a visionary," she responded in a thick Russian accent. "He distrusted systems." A pause, a brief look. "Lucas is the same."

Kachimov paused for a moment before smiling slightly and closing the book. He started to make a move, bringing his left arm up and around his visitor's shoulders before summoning her to move with him.

"So, how does it make you feel to think of seeing him, hm?"

Her face remained impassive.

"A little sick."

"This is a normal reaction. It'll pass, hm?"

He gave her a sympathetic smile, but she brushed it off without so much of a second glance.

"How will I contact him?"

"Mm..." Kachimov thought for a moment. "Contact has already been made."

Lucas had been standing around the same area for the best part of half hour. Not ideal, but he knew it was necessary. When he heard footsteps, he turned, and look on his face was enough to know that hers was a face he was hoping not to see.

She stopped just short. He looked gobsmacked.

"I don't understand," was all he could muster.

She sighed.

"Who better to be your handler, than your ex wife?"

"What?" The word came out in nothing but a whisper. If it wasn't loud, it wasn't true. He paused for a moment as realisation struck him. "You," he muttered. "Work...?" A pause. He cocked his head to the side before looking her square in the eye. "Always?"

"I loved you, but I love Russia too."

Lucas gasped and turned away, rubbing his face with his hand as he tried to comprehend it all.

"How many years did I waste?" His voice cracked.

"You lied to me too," she responded angrily.

"I never lied."

"Did you tell me what you were?"

He shook his head with disbelief, taken aback.

"I thought of you, all that time." His tone turned sombre. "Eight years, I thought of nothing but you."

They stood, feet apart and silent. Both trying to understand.

"You lied to me," she repeated defiantly. "And now your lie is turning round and coming back at you. What we have left is this."

Lucas gulped deeply before bending his head and leaning in slightly.

"Well, I can't do _this_." He turned his back on her and manoeuvred himself onto the bench. She watched as he cupped his hands together and turned his head to the side, determined to look at anything but her.

She sat herself down next to him and got right down to business.

"...And the only thing that I can come up with is that to launch the attack, the submarine needs to physically link to the fibre optics communications cable..."

Harry looked like he was listening, but his mind was doing jumping jacks, trying to figure a way to outsmart both the Russians, and the fellow civil servants who refused to take his demand for internet closure seriously. Then it hit him.

"We need somebody with access to Arkady Kachimov."


	9. Chapter Nine

**After a lot of deliberation and scribbling on notepads I know where this is going! Bare with me on the happenings of 7.2, after that it deviates away from the script and becomes completely AU! **

"You want to use Lucas?" Ros did not look at all impressed.

"He has a relationship with Kachimov..." Harry tried to explain, but Ros confidently cut across him.

"Kachimov was responsible for Adam's death Harry." The tone of her voice had become somewhat sombre. She didn't want to wait around.

"And I said we will have revenge. This is just the start."

-x-

Harry barely had time to think before the shrill ring of his telephone sounded out in his office.

"Ros."

"Harry, I'm afraid we've gone bobbing for a bad apple. Lucas is a double agent." A pause. "You were right to be cautious."

-x-

"Sooo, it turns out that actually doing this is more difficult than I thought it was gonna be."

"Anyone who sells themself was a virgin once." She focused on his face. "And you didn't sell yourself cheap." A pause. "Eight years."

Lucas sat down cautiously on the bench.

"What if it'd been five years?" He desperately searched her face for answers. "Four years? Two? What conversation would be having now?"

Her eyes remained emotionless, her face passive. She saw his heart break.

"This one."

Lucas hesitated for a moment before slowly lifting up his right hand. As he presented her with a folded piece of paper, the increased beating in his chest warned him to hope that he wasn't making the biggest mistake of his life. That everything would work out like he had planned. His ex wife saw this doubt. A sign of weakness.

"Lucas." Her voice is stern, but her features soften to show him she understands. "It's for the best."

-x-

"You didn't believe in all that happiness crap did you?"

The footsteps behind him had startled him, and as he heard her voice escape her lips, the volts from the tasar ripped into his chest and all was forgotten as he crumpled into an unconscious heap on the floor.

-x-

The cup of water that had been supplied did nothing to ease the throbbing headache he could feel forming at his temples.

"How's the nervous system?" Ros' tone was cold, but the sentiment was there.

"Twitchy." There was an edge to Lucas' voice. "This is a mistake."

Lucas didn't look up from the table, but the voice that spoke was instantly recognisable.

"I'm glad you didn't waste those years trying to memorise convincing excuses."

"Maybe Kachimov should add that to his curriculum," Ros added curtly.

"We should be following Elizaveta."

"We _are_ following Elizaveta."

Ros' folded her arms proudly, and let her eyes bore into the back of Lucas' head. The tension from Lucas' body was radiating around the room in giant waves.

"Come on, Lucas," Harry snarled softly. "Impress me with your ability to talk your way out of this."

Lucas sighed deeply.

"I agreed to be Kachimov's agent in London. Of course I did." A pause. "But just to get back. To come home."

A pause. A tactical play on emotion.

"God knows I couldn't rely on you to do it for me."

Harry's face remained passive, but the darkness in his eyes caused Lucas to divert his gaze from the menacing stare. Ros' voice came as a welcome relief.

"And you failed to mention this earlier. Why?"

"I told you in the car." His voice was calm, his shoulders sagged.

"You joked about it in the car!" Harry's temper was starting to wear thin.

"You suspected it anyway, you as good as told me. So if I admitted it officially you'd have locked me in a cell and debriefed me for months on end and..." He hesitated slightly. "...I've seen enough cells."

"So I decided to prove myself to you by bringing Kachimov to you."

Harry pulled his hand out of his pocket and started to smile. The amused look continued to grow and he unwittingly waged his finger at Lucas.

"This is actually rather good." There was definitely humour.

"Because it has the advantage of being true."

"You gave deeply sensitive information to the head of the FSB in London in order to bring him down?"

"Yes."

Harry felt like laughing.

"Explain to me how that works."

The wheels were turning overtime in Lucas' head. The truth was the he could offer.

"Kachimov ordered me to find out about a message you might have intercepted. Something originating from the ocean."

"And you decided to find it, and tell him." The humour had vanished.

"I did."

"Why?" Ros was back.

"Because he knows what the message is and he knows you've intercepted it." There was urgency to Lucas' voice. He calmed somewhat and looked Harry dead in the eye.

"He's testing me, sending me out to get something that he already knows. It's the only way that he can prove my worth as an asset, and he really, really needs to trust me. It's his greatest vulnerability."

A pause, a look of understanding from Harry. It's working.

"He's embarked on a major operation," Lucas continued swiftly. "And in the chaos that follows he'll need someone on the inside..."

"Because that way he can stay one step ahead of any possible retaliation." Harry nodded.

Lucas leant back in his chair, satisfied he had done enough to prove his worth to Harry and the team.

"He wants you; he wants all of us, dancing to his tune."

"If you're lying to me, you won't get so much as a funeral."

Harry didn't notice the sudden shift in Lucas' features, but Lucas was quick enough to mask it over.

-x-

"She went that way," Kachimov smiled as he noticed the tall figure approach him on the roof.

"I'll catch her later," Lucas smiled back, stopping just short of the KSB leader.

"So what is this hm? Surprise party, music and dancing girls." Kachimov's grin widened as his gaze diverted over the London skyline.

"Oh, I think there have been enough surprises for one day."

That certainly got Kachimov's attention.

"Anyway," Lucas pressed on. "I've got something for you."

"Please," Kachimov insisted. "Go on."

"There's a submarine." A raised eyebrow. "A spy submarine," Lucas clarified. "In British waters. Today it will be used to launch a cyber attack on Britain."

Kachimov tilted his head to one side.

"This is what MI5 have learnt?"

"This is what MI5 have learnt."

"And how do they know these things?" Kachimov asked an element of interest in his voice.

"They have a mole, Russian embassy. Very high level."

Kachimov looked almost taken aback.

"Who?" He was definitely interested now.

"You." The snarl in Lucas' voice was too obvious for Kachimov to miss.

Kachimov laughed nervously.

"Don't be so stu..."

"It's you, Arkady." Lucas reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a brown envelope. "Believe it or not, it's you."

-x-

"That one there." Lucas pointed to the parked Range Rover and pulled open the back door, waiting impatiently for Kachimov to clamber in.

Lucas clambered in after and slammed the door shut. He watched Ros turn and pull something off the front seat, and after taking the laptop from her waiting hands, set about inserting the disk to search its contents.

"Malcolm, it's on its way."

-x-

Harry turned off the television and addressed the rest of his group.

"Excellent news. We've them our huge message."

"As long as it buys me out of a six month debrief," Lucas sighed, slumped heavily on one of the desks on the grid.

"It's bought you a return to this section." A pause. "If that's what you want."

Lucas looked up shocked. His plan had worked perfectly. He'd secured his freedom.

"Of course I do, Harry."

"What happens to Kachimov?" All focused turned on Jo, who was leaning heavily on the doorframe, wringing her hands together nervously.

"He belongs to us now, that's our revenge," Harry replied satisfied.

"The punishment doesn't fit the crime," Jo argued persistently.

"Kachimov's a big prize," Lucas stated. "Don't underestimate Lucas' importance."

"That's exactly what Adam would have said," Ros whispered brokenly.

Jo pushed herself away from the doorframe and turned to face Ros.

"As you said to me Ros, Adam's dead..."

Ros kept her gaze on the table, careful as to not give anything anyway.

"... And Kachimov is responsible." Jo turned desperately to Harry. "Harry, he was worth more."

-x-

"You are Rangefinder no, the British agent in Moscow?" Kachimov spoke loudly over the passing train. He grinned. "I ordered your execution."

Ros gave him a cold look.

"Well, silly old you."

He looked away, admiring the industrial views.

"It's all over Arkady," Ros spoke again. "Done and dusted."

"Your escort will be in here in a moment or two," Harry spoke calmly. "You won't mind if I don't wait to wave goodbye?"

Harry watched Ros take a step back towards the car and strode towards Arkady.

"So," Arkady nodded his head. "This is it."

Harry nodded.

"This is it. You won't be free for some time." Harry's features stood firm despite the battering from the wind. "But we'll make you as a comfortable as possible."

"Until you have squeezed from me the very last piece of intelligence that I have," Arkady smiled.

"You know the game."

"And I bow to the better player." Arkady breathed in sharply. "I congratulate you on your victory."

"God save me from any more victories like this one."

"It was a pity about your man," Arkady conversed casually.

Harry looked up, knowing exactly who he was referring to.

"Carter was it?"

"He's dead. That's not a pity, that's a crime." Harry's voice was cold yet with conviction.

"I did what I had to do for my country." No remorse. "I'm not seeking forgiveness."

"You'll find none."

"And you will never find rest, Harry, until you have forgiven yourself. Men like us..." A pause. "... There is no room for remorse. Carter was a very courageous fellow, but he was a resource, and resources can be replaced."

Harry stared at Kachimov for a few moments, cold and hatred spread evening across his ragged features. He took one final glance and turned on his heel back towards the direction of the car.

He nodded at Ros, and she expressionlessly handed him a gun. Harry cocked the gun quickly before turning round to face Kachimov. Kachimov only had a millisecond to react, and with a feeble cry of 'no,' fell backwards into a heap on the concrete floor.

Harry watched the body for a moment before making sure the gun was safe to put away.

It should have been over, but what should is not always what is.

**A/N: Apologies for the long winded chapter. It is just because this is the last chapter that needed to follow the script to make sense, and it seemed fitting to get it all down at once to be ready to move forward in the world of angst, drama and romance over the next God knows how many chapters!**

**I wouldn't have done this chapter if it wasn't relevant, so my apology is only half hearted :D**


	10. Chapter Ten

"I thought you could do with something strong." Lucas watched as Ros hesitantly took the cup and took a tentative sip. "To numb the senses," he added quietly.

She mumbled her thanks and stared out across the park.

"I don't apologise by the way."

Lucas spared Ros a glance, noticing her focus was solely on the playground straight ahead. He followed her line of vision and edged closer to her until their knees were touching.

"I wouldn't expect you to," he leant in to her ear. "Besides, it'd be notably uncharacteristic of you if you did."

Ros turns to face him in mock horror, but the pretence drops once Lucas starts laughing.

"I _am_ a spy, Ros," he smiled. "Let's face it, you're a bitch."

-x-

"You should go home, Malcolm," Harry folded his arms and perched himself against the edge of Malcolm's workstation.

"So should you." Malcolm's eyes never left the screen.

Harry leant over and pressed the power button, straightening himself up with mild satisfaction at the look of shock on Malcolm's face.

"I'll go home if you go home."

Malcolm gave a thin smile and set about finding his coat.

-x-

Lucas tapped the steering wheel in time to the music on the radio before turning to face his female companion.

"Here you are," he yawned, lowering his head to get a good look at the exterior of what Ros called home.

Ros unclipped her seatbelt and picked up her bag off the floor.

"Thanks, Lucas." She opened the car door and leant back in. "See you tomorrow."

The passenger door slammed shut.

-x-

"You look... Tired," Ros tilted her head observantly.

"Thank you," Harry replied deadpan. He let his pen fall from his head and looked up, a small smile playing at his lips. "How did you sleep?"

Ros folded her arms and smirked.

"I didn't go home with Lucas if that's what you're hinting at."

Harry raised his eyebrows in disbelief.

"I'll take that as a _'I slept well,'_ Rosalind," Harry smiled before picking up his pen once again and lowering his gaze back to the file in front of him.

-x-

"How's the old man?" Lucas rose from the edge of Jo's desk and followed Ros round the corner until they were out of their colleague's earshot.

"Plodding along," Ros replied as she continued to walk.

"Where are you going?" Lucas enquired curiously, leaning against the wall as he watched Ros turn on her heel.

"Why are you following me?"

Lucas held his hands in the air in mock surrender and pushed himself off the wall.

"Fine, you got me." A pause. "I was just making sure you were alright."

Ros scowled.

"I'm fine."

Lucas nodded slowly. He wasn't going to push it any further.

"Right," he mumbled. "Well, if you fancy doing something later you know where to find me."

Ros scowled again and continued on her mission.

"Oh, and Ros?" He called out after her retreating figure. "Meeting in twenty minutes!"


End file.
